Huntington Beach Defense Earns Third Shutout

Sometimes it really doesn’t matter if the Huntington Beach High School offense shows up at a football field, just as long as the defense has directions.

The Oilers recorded their third shutout in a nonleague game this season with a 10-0 victory over Long Beach Wilson Thursday night at Sheue Field.

Huntington Beach (4-1) held Wilson (3-1-1) to 102 yards total offense, including 13 yards rushing.

The Oilers sacked Bruin quarterback Adam Trafas twice for minus-16 yards and intercepted him twice. He completed six of 18 passes for 89 yards.

“Since (Wilson) is a running team, they played right into our strength,” Huntington Beach Coach George Pascoe said. “Our defensive coaches--Mike Dodd, Pete Mitchell and Andy Verdone--all did a great job of preparing us for Wilson.”

As for Huntington Beach’s offense, it continued to have problems.

Huntington Beach has scored four touchdowns in its last three games, relying on the defense to keep games close.

Thursday night was no different.

The Oilers’ offensive highlights:

--Quarterback Jack Friend completed five of seven passes for 29 yards.

--Running back Joe Contreras had 16 yards rushing in nine carries; Friend had 15 yards in nine carries.

--Fullback Adam Bowermaster rushed nine times for 60 yards, but 51 came in the final five minutes as Huntington Beach ran out the clock.

Pascoe wasn’t about to address the Oilers’ situation on offense.

“We won, 10-0, and there is nothing else I can really say,” Pascoe said. “There’s nothing better than getting a shutout. We must be doing something right.”

Friend did something right with 25 seconds left in the first half. He lobbed an arching, 20-yard pass to Contreras in the end zone to give the Oilers a 7-0 halftime lead.

Wilson finished the first half with 53 yards total offense, including minus-eight rushing.

Huntington Beach increased its lead to 10-0 with 3 minutes 9 seconds left in the third quarter when Alex Acocello kicked a 29-yard field goal.

The field goal was set up by linebacker Troy McWhinney, who intercepted a Trafas pass at the Wilson 41 and returned it 22 yards to the 19. Contreras also had an interception with 38 seconds left in the third quarter.

Wilson’s deepest penetration was the Huntington Beach 26-yard line with 6:07 remaining.

But the Oilers held Bruin running backs Frankie Russell and Michael Steward to no gains on third- and fourth-down plays to end the threat.